Space cognition enhancement device and method for three-dimensional rotation stimulation of vestibular-hippocampus pathway
By designing a three-dimensional rotational stimulation device, combined with multi-axial angular acceleration and visual shielding, targeted stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway is achieved, solving the problem that existing technologies cannot simulate real three-dimensional spatial movement. It is suitable for spatial cognitive ability assessment and rehabilitation training of laboratory animal models.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510940607.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-09
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies make it difficult to conduct spatial cognitive ability assessment and damage mechanism research of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway in a real three-dimensional environment. Traditional devices are mostly two-dimensional plane rotations, which cannot simulate real three-dimensional spatial movement and lack targeted intervention mechanisms.
A spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway was designed, which included a rotational stimulation unit, an animal adaptation unit, a control unit, and a signal acquisition unit. Through multi-axial angular acceleration stimulation combined with visual shielding and acoustic intervention, targeted stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway was achieved.
It achieves targeted stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway, is suitable for spatial cognitive ability assessment and rehabilitation training of laboratory animal models, simulates real three-dimensional spatial movement, and solves the problems of limited activation range and unquantifiable parameters of existing equipment.
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Figure CN120732400A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of animal experimental devices, and in particular to a device and method for enhancing spatial cognition by three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway. Background Art
[0002] With the rapid development of modern science and technology, especially with the advent of the low-altitude economy, more and more people will be exposed to three-dimensional working environments. Maintaining and enhancing spatial cognitive abilities is a key measure to ensure work safety and improve work efficiency. At the same time, with the aging population and the development of central nervous system structural and functional lesions such as craniocerebral trauma, ischemia, hypoxia, inflammation, and oxidative stress, the decline of spatial cognitive function will also become a serious problem that seriously troubles people's health and quality of life. Therefore, given the limitations of drug intervention in maintaining spatial cognitive function, adopting an endogenous protection strategy that fully mobilizes the body's self-recovery potential is an important option to improve impaired spatial cognitive ability and enhance the safety of working in three-dimensional environments.
[0003] Previous studies have confirmed that the body's accurate perception and interpretation of the spatial environment are closely related to vestibular function. The vestibular system is a specialized sensory system that senses various accelerations, including gravity, and is crucial for maintaining balance, clear vision, and spatial orientation. Furthermore, the hippocampus, in the limbic system, participates in spatial cognition alongside the entorhinal cortex. Anatomical studies have demonstrated that the vestibular nuclei establish functional connections with the hippocampus through the pedunculopontine nucleus, the supramamamilar nucleus of the hypothalamus, and the medial septal nucleus. Furthermore, functional connections with the hippocampus are established through the dorsal tegmental nucleus, the lateral mammillary nucleus, the anterior dorsal thalamic nucleus, and the posterior hypothalamus. Maintaining and enhancing spatial cognition through stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway is theoretically feasible. For this reason, in aviation medicine, vestibular training for flight crews has been incorporated into aviation physiological training to help maintain spatial orientation. Vestibular stimulation also has the potential to alleviate stress and promote emotional well-being by modulating neuroendocrine-autonomic neural networks. Currently, conducting spatial cognition research by stimulating the vestibular-hippocampal pathway in the laboratory and preclinical settings is an important option for maintaining and enhancing the spatial cognitive abilities of people working in three-dimensional environments and for functional rehabilitation of people with impaired abilities.
[0004] At present, it is difficult to conduct and characterize the spatial cognition ability assessment and injury mechanism research by stimulating the vestibular-hippocampal pathway in a real three-dimensional environment. The main manifestations are: First, traditional vestibular stimulation devices mostly use two-dimensional plane rotation (such as swivel chairs), which cannot simulate real three-dimensional spatial movement and have a single stimulation mode; second, existing spatial cognition intervention equipment lacks exploration of targeted intervention mechanisms for the vestibular-hippocampal pathway. Summary of the Invention
[0005] In response to the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention proposes a spatial cognition enhancement device and method for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway to solve the above technical problems.
[0006] In a first aspect, a spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway is provided, comprising: A rotary stimulation unit for generating multi-axial angular acceleration stimulation; an animal adaptation unit, connected to the rotary stimulation unit, for fixing the experimental animal and blocking visual input; a control unit connected to the rotation stimulation unit, for adjusting stimulation parameters and collecting dynamic data; The signal acquisition unit includes a piezoresistive sensor and an analog-to-digital converter, which collects angular velocity and angular acceleration dynamic parameters in real time.
[0007] Furthermore, the rotation stimulation unit includes: base; a lower rotating assembly mounted on the base; an upper rotating assembly coupled to the lower rotating assembly via a universal joint; The lower rotating assembly and the upper rotating assembly are driven by a first servo motor and a second servo motor respectively.
[0008] Furthermore, the universal connection mechanism is a spherical rotor; A first angular velocity of the lower rotating component around the vertical axis and a second angular velocity of the upper rotating component around the horizontal axis are combined into a three-dimensional angular velocity vector.
[0009] Furthermore, the animal adaptation unit includes: Light-proof shell, the inner surface is made of light-absorbing material; A restraining belt is arranged in the light-proof housing, and the restraining belt is covered with a buffer layer.
[0010] Furthermore, the control unit includes: a motion controller, an output end of which is connected to the first servo motor and the second servo motor; A multi-axis acceleration sensor is fixed to the upper rotating assembly; The signal conditioning circuit has an input end connected to the multi-axis acceleration sensor and an output end connected to a data acquisition card.
[0011] Furthermore, it also includes: The acoustic intervention module is integrated into the rotating stimulation unit and is used to output soothing music.
[0012] In a second aspect, a method for enhancing spatial cognition by three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway is provided. The spatial cognition enhancing device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway, based on any one of the above, comprises: The experimental animals were placed in an animal adaptation unit and visual input was blocked; driving the rotation stimulation unit to perform multi-axial compound rotation to generate three-dimensional angular acceleration stimulation; Activate the acoustic intervention module to output soothing music, and use the signal acquisition unit to monitor the angular velocity and angular acceleration parameters during the rotation process in real time; After the rotation stimulation, the animals were subjected to behavioral tests of spatial memory and non-spatial memory; Cognitive function enhancement index was calculated based on behavioral test results.
[0013] Furthermore, the multi-axial compound rotation is achieved by: The lower rotating assembly rotates vertically; The upper rotating assembly rotates around the horizontal axis through a universal joint mechanism; The resultant motion generates a three-dimensional angular velocity vector.
[0014] Furthermore, the behavioral test includes: In the T-maze experiment, the exploration sequence of the animal entering each arm of the maze was recorded; In the novel object recognition experiment, the difference in the animals' exploration time for familiar objects and novel objects is recorded.
[0015] In a third aspect, a method for constructing a spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway is provided. The spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway, based on any of the above, comprises: Assemble the lower rotating assembly and the upper rotating assembly so that the upper rotating assembly is coupled to the central axis of the lower rotating assembly through a universal joint mechanism; Integrating an animal adaptation unit into the upper rotating assembly; Connecting the first servo motor, the second servo motor and the motion controller to implement a three-dimensional compound motion control algorithm; Integrate multi-axis acceleration sensors and acoustic intervention modules to establish a dynamic-acoustic synchronous intervention link.
[0016] The invention adopting the above technical solution has the following advantages: This device simulates real three-dimensional motion through multi-axial rotation, combined with adjustable speed and visual shielding to achieve targeted stimulation of the vestibulo-hippocampal pathway. The device integrates an acoustic intervention module and supports multimodal intervention. This device addresses the limited activation range and non-quantifiable spatial parameters of existing two-dimensional stimulation devices. It is suitable for spatial cognition assessment and rehabilitation training in laboratory animal models, as well as for spatial cognition protection in three-dimensional working environments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the specific embodiments. In all the drawings, each element or part is not necessarily drawn according to the actual scale.
[0018] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the spatial cognition enhancement device of the present invention for three-dimensional rotation stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway Figure 1 ; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the spatial cognition enhancement device of the present invention for three-dimensional rotation stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway Figure 2 ; Figure 3 This is a diagram of the T-maze experiment for evaluating the spatial memory and exploratory behavior of mice in the normal group and the three-dimensional rotation group of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a diagram of the non-spatial learning and memory behavior of mice evaluated in the novel object recognition experiment of the three-dimensional rotation stimulation normal group and the three-dimensional rotation group in the present invention.
[0019] Reference numerals: Lower rotating assembly 1, upper rotating assembly 2, spherical rotor 3, anchoring bracket 4, animal adaptation unit 5, first servo motor 6, second servo motor 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0021] The terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of this application and the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish between different objects, not to describe a particular order. Furthermore, the terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or elements is not limited to the listed steps or elements but may optionally include steps or elements not listed, or may optionally include other steps or elements inherent to the process, method, product, or apparatus.
[0022] References to "embodiments" in this application mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application may be combined with other embodiments.
[0023] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the spatial cognition enhancement device of the present invention for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway comprises: A rotary stimulation unit for generating multi-axial angular acceleration stimulation; Animal adaptation unit 5, connected to the rotating stimulation unit, used to fix the experimental animal and block visual input; A control unit, connected to the rotation stimulation unit signal, for adjusting stimulation parameters and collecting dynamic data; The signal acquisition unit includes a piezoresistive sensor and an analog-to-digital converter, which collects angular velocity and angular acceleration dynamic parameters in real time.
[0024] Specifically, multi-axial rotation simulates real three-dimensional motion, combined with adjustable speed and visual shielding to achieve targeted stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway. The device integrates an acoustic intervention module to support multimodal intervention. This device addresses the limited activation range and unquantifiable parameters of existing two-dimensional stimulation devices, making it suitable for spatial cognition assessment, rehabilitation training, and protection of spatial cognition in laboratory animal models in three-dimensional work environments.
[0025] In this embodiment, the rotation stimulation unit includes: Base (supporting lower components); A lower rotating assembly 1 mounted on a base; An upper rotating assembly 2 coupled to a lower rotating assembly 1 via a universal joint; The lower rotating assembly 1 and the upper rotating assembly 2 are driven by a first servo motor 6 and a second servo motor 7 respectively.
[0026] In this embodiment, the universal connection mechanism is a spherical rotor 3; The first angular velocity of the lower rotating component 1 around the vertical axis and the second angular velocity of the upper rotating component 2 around the horizontal axis are combined to form a three-dimensional angular velocity vector.
[0027] Specifically, the universal connection mechanism is a spherical rotor 3, the outer surface of which is provided with a directional bearing (not shown in the figure); The directional bearing sleeve is fixed to the top end of the central shaft of the lower rotating component 1.
[0028] In this embodiment, the animal adaptation unit 5 includes: Light-proof shell, the inner surface is made of light-absorbing material; The restraint belt is arranged in the light-proof shell and is covered with a buffer layer.
[0029] In this embodiment, the control unit includes: The motion controller has an output end connected to the first servo motor 6 and the second servo motor 7; A multi-axis acceleration sensor is fixed to the upper rotating assembly 2; The signal conditioning circuit has an input end connected to a multi-axis acceleration sensor and an output end connected to a data acquisition card.
[0030] In this embodiment, a piezoresistive sensor (not shown) is fixed on the upper rotating assembly 1 .
[0031] In this embodiment, it also includes: The acoustic intervention module is integrated into the rotating stimulation unit (specifically fixed on the base) and is used to output soothing music.
[0032] Specifically, the upper rotating assembly 2 includes: a rotating platform connected to the central axis of the lower rotating assembly 1 through a spherical rotor 3; The anchoring bracket 4 is installed on the central axis of the rotating platform and is used to carry the animal adaptation unit 5.
[0033] Specifically, the three-dimensional rotation stimulation device is composed of two coaxial rotation systems. The first servo motor 6 is installed on the base of the lower rotating component 1. The output shaft of the first servo motor 6 is connected to the rotating shaft of the lower rotating component 1, driving the lower rotating component 1 to rotate around the Z axis (speed range 0-30rpm); The upper rotating assembly 2 is hinged to the central axis of the lower rotating assembly 1 through the spherical rotor 3. The output shaft of the second servo motor 7 is coaxially connected to the spherical rotor 3, driving the upper rotating assembly 2 to rotate around the Y axis (speed range 0-30rpm). The first angular velocity of the lower rotating assembly 1 around the Z axis and the second angular velocity of the upper rotating assembly 2 around the Y axis are vector-synthesized to generate a three-dimensional angular velocity vector, realizing X / Y / Z three-axis compound motion.
[0034] The spherical rotor 3 is connected to the central axis of the lower rotating assembly 1, and the experimental animals (rats and mice) are securely positioned within a light-proof housing on the anchor bracket 4 of the upper rotating assembly 2. Simultaneously, the acoustic intervention module plays comfortable music during rotation, leveraging the protective and conditioning effects of music therapy on physical and mental recovery, particularly the neuroendocrine system.
[0035] Animal fixation: The experimental animals were placed in a light-proof shell and the bodies were fixed with restraints.
[0036] Motion Control: The first servo motor 6 drives the lower rotating assembly 1 to rotate around the Z axis (0-30 rpm); The second servo motor 7 drives the spherical rotor 3, which drives the upper rotating assembly 2 to rotate around the Y axis; Three-dimensional synthesis: Z-axis rotation and Y-axis rotation are synthesized into three-dimensional angular acceleration through the universal joint; Multimodal intervention: Synchronously activate the acoustic intervention module to play 45-60dB soothing music; Parameter monitoring: Multi-axis accelerometer collects angular velocity / angular acceleration data in real time.
[0037] The control unit integrates three-axis rotation, mechanical structure, drive system, and control module to achieve orderly, stable, and controllable rotation. With updated designs, remote control, digital parameter setting, and dynamic collection of experimental data (such as animal heart rate and respiration) should be possible.
[0038] The core of this invention is that the integrated three-axis rotation platform can provide precise and controllable spatial motion stimulation. It is an irreplaceable individualized assessment device in experimental research and is suitable for experimental research on maintaining spatial cognitive ability in space flight operating environments; experimental research on rehabilitation treatment of impaired spatial orientation ability (such as hippocampal dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease models, spatial cognitive dysfunction in traumatic brain injury models, spatial cognitive dysfunction in hypoxic brain injury models, and spatial cognitive dysfunction in stroke models). It has broad military and civilian application prospects.
[0039] In other embodiments, a method for enhancing spatial cognition by three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway is provided, and a spatial cognition enhancing device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway based on any of the above items comprises: Fix the experimental animal in the animal adaptation unit 5 and block the visual input; driving the rotation stimulation unit to perform multi-axial compound rotation to generate three-dimensional angular acceleration stimulation; Activate the acoustic intervention module to output soothing music, and use the signal acquisition unit to monitor the angular velocity and angular acceleration parameters during the rotation process in real time; After the rotation stimulation, the animals were subjected to behavioral tests of spatial memory and non-spatial memory; Cognitive function enhancement index was calculated based on behavioral test results.
[0040] In this embodiment, multi-axial compound rotation is achieved by: The lower rotating assembly 1 rotates vertically; The upper rotating assembly 2 rotates around the horizontal axis through a universal joint mechanism; The resultant motion generates a three-dimensional angular velocity vector.
[0041] In this embodiment, behavioral testing includes: In the T-maze experiment, the exploration sequence of the animal entering each arm of the maze was recorded; In the novel object recognition experiment, the difference in the animals' exploration time for familiar objects and novel objects is recorded.
[0042] In other embodiments, a method for constructing a spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway is provided. The spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway based on any of the above items includes: Assemble the lower rotating assembly 1 and the upper rotating assembly 2, so that the upper rotating assembly 2 is coupled to the central axis of the lower rotating assembly 1 through a universal joint mechanism; An animal adaptation unit 5 is integrated into the upper rotating assembly 2; Connect the first servo motor 6, the second servo motor 7 and the motion controller to implement a three-dimensional composite motion control algorithm; Integrate multi-axis acceleration sensors and acoustic intervention modules to establish a dynamic-acoustic synchronous intervention link.
[0043] Specifically, a mathematical model is established to describe the relationship between the rotation angle, velocity (angular velocity), and acceleration (angular acceleration) of each axis. It also explains how to convert motor control parameters (such as speed and direction) into the actual movement of the platform.
[0044] The device consists of two coaxial rotating systems: Lower rotating component 1: controlled by the first servo motor 6, rotates around the Z axis of the global coordinate system (circular rotation in the XY plane), with a speed range of 0-30 rpm.
[0045] Upper Rotary Assembly 2: Controlled by a second servo motor 7, it connects to the central axis of Lower Rotary Assembly 1 via a 360° spherical rotor 3, allowing rotation relative to Lower Rotary Assembly 1 about its local Y axis (the spherical rotor 3 provides a degree of freedom, but the second servo motor 7 controls rotation about a specific axis), with a speed range of 0-30 rpm. Rotation of Upper Rotary Assembly 2 involves X, Y, and Z components in the global coordinate system.
[0046] Coordinate system definition Global coordinate system: fixed to the laboratory frame, O-XYZ, where: The X and Y axes are horizontal (parallel to the ground plane), and the Z axis is vertical.
[0047] The lower layer rotation component 1 rotates around the global Z axis.
[0048] The lower coordinate system is fixed to the lower rotating component 1, O-x1y1z1, and initially coincides with the global coordinate system. When the first servo motor 6 is driven, the lower rotating component 1 rotates around the Z axis by an angle θ1(t). Therefore, the transformation matrix of the lower coordinate system relative to the global coordinate system is: The upper coordinate system is fixed to the upper rotating assembly 2 and connected to the central axis of the lower rotating assembly 1 via the spherical rotor 3. Assume that the second servo motor 7 controls the rotation angle φ(t) of the upper rotating assembly 2 relative to the lower rotating assembly 1 around the lower Y-axis (y1). The relative rotation transformation matrix is: Key parameter definitions θ1(t): The rotation angle of the lower layer rotation component 1 around the global Z axis (unit: radians, rad).
[0049] φ(t): The rotation angle of the upper rotating component 2 relative to the lower rotating component 1 around the lower Y-axis (unit: radians, rad).
[0050] Angular velocity: defined as the first time derivative of the angle.
[0051] ω1(t) = dθ1 / dt (angular velocity of the first servo motor 6, unit: rad / s).
[0052] ω2(t) = dφ / dt (angular velocity of the second servo motor 7, unit: rad / s).
[0053] Angular acceleration: defined as the first time derivative of angular velocity (or the second time derivative of angle).
[0054] α1(t) = dω1 / dt = d²θ1 / dt² (angular acceleration of the first servo motor 6, unit: rad / s²).
[0055] α2(t) = dω2 / dt = d²φ / dt² (angular acceleration of the second servo motor 7, unit: rad / s²).
[0056] Speed range conversion: The speed given is 0-30 rpm (revolutions per minute), converted to angular velocity (rad / s): ω (rad / s) = ω_rpm × (2π / 60) = ω_rpm × π / 30.
[0057] Therefore, 0 ≤ ω1 ≤ π rad / s, 0 ≤ ω2 ≤ π rad / s (about 0-3.14 rad / s).
[0058] Each system has its own independent mathematical model, and the angle, angular velocity, and angular acceleration of each rotating system follow fundamental time-derivative relationships. These relationships are independent of the coordinate system and apply to each motor-controlled rotating axis.
[0059] Lower layer rotation component 1 (controlled by the first servo motor 6, rotating around the global Z axis): Rotation angle: θ1(t) Angular velocity: ω1(t) = \frac{d\theta_1}{dt} Angular acceleration: α1(t) = \frac{d\omega_1}{dt} = \frac{d^2\theta_1}{dt^2} Relationship summary: Angular velocity is the first derivative of angle.
[0060] Angular acceleration is the first derivative of angular velocity or the second derivative of angle.
[0061] If the angular velocity is constant (ω1(t) = constant), then the angular acceleration α1(t) = 0.
[0062] Upper rotating assembly 2 (controlled by the second servo motor 7, rotates around its Y axis relative to the lower rotating assembly 1): Rotation angle: φ(t) Angular velocity: ω2(t) = \frac{d\phi}{dt} Angular acceleration: α2(t) = \frac{d\omega_2}{dt} = \frac{d^2\phi}{dt^2} Relationship summary: Angular velocity is the first derivative of angle.
[0063] Angular acceleration is the first derivative of angular velocity or the second derivative of angle.
[0064] If the angular velocity is constant (ω2(t) = constant), then the angular acceleration α2(t) = 0.
[0065] Angular velocity and angular acceleration components of each axis in the global coordinate system Since the upper rotating assembly 2 is connected via the spherical rotor 3, its global rotation is a combination of the lower rotation and the relative rotation. The global angular velocity vector is the vector sum of the lower angular velocity and the upper relative angular velocity (expressed in the global coordinate system).
[0066] Global angular velocity vector: Ω_total = Ω_lower + Ω_relative_global Ω_lower: Angular velocity of the lower rotation component 1, (0, 0, ω1(t)) in the global coordinate system.
[0067] Ω_relative: The angular velocity of the upper rotation component 2 relative to the lower rotation component 1, which is (0, ω2(t), 0) in the lower coordinate system (assuming rotation around the lower Y axis).
[0068] Convert Ω_relative to the global coordinate system: Ω_relative_global = \mathbf{R}_{\text{lower / global}} \times \begin{bmatrix} 0 \ \omega_2(t) \ 0 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} -\omega_2(t) \sin \theta_1(t) \ \omega_2(t) \cos \theta_1(t) \0 \end{bmatrix} Therefore, the global angular velocity component: ω_x(t) = -\omega_2(t) \sin \theta_1(t) ω_y(t) = \omega_2(t) \cos \theta_1(t) ω_z(t) = \omega_1(t) Global angular acceleration vector: Angular acceleration is the first-order time derivative of angular velocity. Derivative of the above ω_x, ω_y, ω_z: α_x(t) = \frac{d\omega_x}{dt} = \frac{d}{dt}[-\omega_2(t) \sin \theta_1(t)] = -\alpha_2(t) \sin \theta_1(t) - \omega_2(t) \omega_1(t) \cos \theta_1(t) (because dθ1 / dt = ω1(t)) α_y(t) = \frac{d\omega_y}{dt} = \frac{d}{dt}[\omega_2(t) \cos \theta_1(t)] = \alpha_2(t) \cos \theta_1(t) - \omega_2(t) \omega_1(t) \sin \theta_1(t) α_z(t) = \frac{d\omega_z}{dt} = \frac{d\omega_1}{dt} = \alpha_1(t) Summary of mathematical model: Independent system relationship, first servo motor 6 (lower layer): ω1(t) = \dot{\theta}_1(t), \quad \alpha_1(t) = \dot{\omega}_1(t) = \ddot{\theta}_1(t) Second servo motor 7 (upper layer): ω2(t) = \dot{\phi}(t), \quad \alpha_2(t) = \dot{\omega}_2(t) = \ddot{\phi}(t) Global axis components (X, Y, Z): Angular velocity components: X-axis: ω_x(t) = -\omega_2(t) \sin \theta_1(t) Y axis: ω_y(t) = \omega_2(t) \cos \theta_1(t) Z-axis: ω_z(t) = \omega_1(t) Angular acceleration components: X-axis: α_x(t) = -\alpha_2(t) \sin \theta_1(t) - \omega_2(t) \omega_1(t)\cos \theta_1(t) Y-axis: α_y(t) = \alpha_2(t) \cos \theta_1(t) - \omega_2(t) \omega_1(t) \sin \theta_1(t) Z-axis: α_z(t) = \alpha_1(t) This model provides complete mathematical relationships between rotation angle, velocity, and acceleration, making it suitable for motion simulation and control design. Based on a specific motion trajectory (such as θ1(t) and φ(t) functions), specific values can be substituted and solved.
[0069] The motor control parameters (such as speed and direction) are converted into the actual movement of the platform The motion of the three-dimensional rotational stimulation device is determined by the motor parameters (speed and direction) of two coaxial rotation systems (lower and upper). The lower rotational assembly 1 is controlled by a first servo motor 6 and rotates about the global Z axis. The upper rotational assembly 2 is controlled by a second servo motor 7 and is connected to the lower central axis via a spherical rotor 3. While the spherical rotor 3 provides multi-degree-of-freedom rotation (e.g., about the X, Y, and Z axes), the second servo motor 7 actively controls rotation only about a specific axis (assuming rotation relative to the Y axis of the lower coordinate system; other degrees of freedom may be passive or inactive). The following details how to translate motor parameters (speed and direction) into the actual motion of the platform, including kinematic derivation and actual motion description.
[0070] Key assumptions and coordinate system definitions: The coordinate system uses the global right-handed coordinate system (G), where: The X and Y axes define a horizontal plane, and the Z axis points vertically upwards.
[0071] Initial state (t = 0): The lower coordinate system (L) is aligned with the global coordinate system (G); the upper coordinate system (U) is connected to the lower middle axis (Z axis) through the spherical rotor 3, and U and L are aligned initially.
[0072] Motor parameters: The first servo motor 6 has a speed range of 0-30 rpm and controls the rotation of the lower layer around the Z axis.
[0073] The rotation speed is recorded as ω1 (rpm), and the direction is D1 (+1 means counterclockwise, -1 means clockwise, viewed from the positive direction of the Z axis).
[0074] Second servo motor 7: Speed range 0-30 rpm, controls the upper layer's rotation around one axis (this description assumes rotation around the Y-axis of the lower layer's coordinate system). The speed is ω2 (rpm), and the direction is D2 (+1 for counterclockwise, -1 for clockwise, as viewed from the positive direction of the axis of rotation).
[0075] Spherical rotor 3: Located on the central axis (Z-axis) of the lower layer, it provides three rotational degrees of freedom (about the X, Y, and Z axes), but only the second servo motor 7 actively controls rotation about one axis (the Y axis). The other degrees of freedom (about the X and Z axes) are not driven by the motors, so in active control mode, these degrees of freedom are considered fixed (angle is 0) or passive and do not affect the main motion. The presence of spherical rotor 3 allows the upper layer's rotational axis to vary relative to the lower layer, but when driven by the second servo motor 7, the motion is constrained to the specified axis.
[0076] Motional degrees of freedom: The system has two active rotational degrees of freedom: Degree of freedom 1 (first servo motor 6): The lower layer rotates around the global Z axis, angle θ1(t).
[0077] Degree of freedom 2 (second servo motor 7): The upper layer rotates relative to the lower layer around the local Y axis, angle θ2(t).
[0078] Unit conversion: speed (rpm) to angular velocity (rad / s): Ω = ω × (2π / 60) , where ω is the rpm value and Ω is the rad / s value.
[0079] For example, when ω1 = 30 rpm, Ω1 = 30 × π / 30 ≈ 3.1416 rad / s (retaining the sign to indicate direction).
[0080] Conversion of motor parameters to angles: The motor parameters (speed and direction) are first converted into rotation angles, and then the actual motion of the platform (position, velocity, and acceleration) is obtained through kinematic calculations. The following is a step-by-step conversion process: The first servo motor 6 parameters are converted into the lower level motion: Angle calculation: The rotation speed ω1 and direction D1 of the first servo motor 6 determine the rotation angle θ1 (t) of the lower layer around the Z axis.
[0081] Angular velocity: Ω1 = (ω1 × D1) × (2π / 60) rad / s (D1 = +1 or -1).
[0082] Angle integral: θ1(t) = θ1(0) + ∫0ᵗ Ω1 dt. If the initial angle θ1(0) = 0 and Ω1 is constant, then θ1(t) = Ω1 t.
[0083] The actual movement of the lower rotating component 1: Direction: The rotation matrix of the lower coordinate system (L) relative to the global coordinate system (G) is: This means that the lower layer rotates in a circle around the Z axis in the XY plane.
[0084] Angular velocity: In the global coordinate system, ω_{lower} = [0, 0, Ω1]ᵀ rad / s (pure Z-axis component).
[0085] Linear motion: If there is a test point on the lower rotating component 1 (e.g., at a distance r from the center of rotation), its position is: x(t) = r \cos(\theta_1(t)) y(t) = r \sin(\theta_1(t)) z(t) = 0 (assuming the point is in the underlying plane) The velocity can be obtained through the derivative.
[0086] The parameters of the second servo motor 7 are converted into the movement of the upper layer relative to the lower layer: Angle calculation: The speed ω2 and direction D2 of the second servo motor 7 determine the rotation angle θ2 (t) of the upper layer relative to the lower layer around the local Y axis.
[0087] Angular velocity: Ω2 = (ω2 × D2) × (2π / 60) rad / s (D2 = +1 or -1).
[0088] Angle integral: θ2(t) = θ2(0) + ∫0ᵗ Ω2 dt. If the initial angle θ2(0) = 0 and Ω2 is constant, then θ2(t) = Ω2 t.
[0089] The motion of the upper layer relative to the lower layer: Direction: The rotation matrix of the upper coordinate system (U) relative to the lower coordinate system (L) (rotation around the Y axis of L): This means that the upper layer is pitched around its local Y axis.
[0090] Angular velocity: In the local coordinate system, ω_{relative} = [0, Ω2, 0]ᵀ rad / s (pure Y-axis component).
[0091] The actual motion of the upper layer in the global coordinate system: Due to the connection of the spherical rotor 3, the upper layer motion is a combination of the motions of the first servo motor 6 and the second servo motor 7. The orientation of the upper layer in the global coordinate system is obtained by chain rotation: Rotation matrix: R_{U}^{G} = R_{L}^{G} \times R_{U}^{L} This matrix describes the pose of the upper layer in the global coordinate system, including the rotation around the Z axis (from θ1) and the rotation around the Y axis (from θ2).
[0092] Angular velocity: The total angular velocity of the upper layer in the global coordinate system is the vector sum of the angular velocity of the lower layer and the relative angular velocity: Lower angular velocity (global): ω_{lower,G} = [0, 0, Ω1]ᵀ Relative angular velocity (local): ω_{relative,L} = [0, Ω2, 0]ᵀ Convert the relative angular velocity to the global coordinate system: ω_{relative,G} = R_{L}^{G} \times ω_{relative,L} Total angular velocity: ω_{upper,G} = ω_{lower,G} + ω_{relative,G} = [0, 0, \Omega_1]ᵀ + [-\Omega_2 \sin\theta_1, \Omega_2 \cos\theta_1, 0]ᵀ = [-\Omega_2\sin\theta_1, \Omega_2 \cos\theta_1, \Omega_1]ᵀ Components: ω_x = -\Omega_2 \sin\theta_1, ω_y = \Omega_2 \cos\theta_1, ω_z = \Omega_1 This means that the angular velocity of the upper layer has three time-varying components in the global coordinate system, depending on θ1(t) (which varies with time).
[0093] Linear motion: If there is a test point on the upper rotating component 2 (e.g., at a distance r from the center of the spherical rotor 3), its position can be calculated using the rotation matrix: The initial position vector is p_U (in the U coordinate system).
[0094] Global position: p_G = R_{U}^{G} \times p_U For example, if the point is on the upper local X axis, p_U = [r, 0, 0]ᵀ, then p_G = [r \cos\theta_1\cos\theta_2, r \sin\theta_1 \cos\theta_2, -r \sin\theta_2]ᵀ.
[0095] Actual motion description, motion of lower-level rotating component 1: Purely rotate around the global Z axis, making a circular trajectory in the XY plane.
[0096] The rotation speed ω1 controls the speed of rotation: when ω1 = 0, it is stationary; when ω1 = 30 rpm, the maximum angular velocity |Ω1| ≈ 3.14 rad / s (about 180° / s).
[0097] Direction D1 controls the direction of rotation: D1 = +1 counterclockwise; D1 = -1 clockwise.
[0098] Actual effect: All points on the platform perform uniform circular motion with the Z axis as the center.
[0099] Upper rotating assembly 2 motion: The motion is coupled: it rotates with the lower layer around the Z axis (controlled by the first servo motor 6), and also rotates relative to the lower layer around the local Y axis (controlled by the second servo motor 7).
[0100] The rotational speed ω2 controls how fast the upper layer rotates: when ω2 = 0, the upper layer simply moves with the lower layer; when ω2 = 30 rpm, |Ω2| ≈ 3.14 rad / s.
[0101] Direction D2 controls the rotation direction of the upper layer relative to the lower layer (e.g., when D2 = +1, it rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the lower layer).
[0102] The spherical rotor 3 provides multiple degrees of freedom, but the second servo motor 7 only drives rotation around the Y axis, so the actual motion is as follows: When θ2 changes, the upper layer rotates around a time-varying axis (the direction of the axis is affected by θ1).
[0103] The angular velocity ω_{upper,G} has X, Y, and Z components, resulting in a three-dimensional rotational stimulus (e.g., yaw around the Z axis + pitch around the Y axis).
[0104] The actual effect is that the points on the upper layer experience complex three-dimensional trajectories (such as spiral or conical motion), depending on the ratio and phase of Ω1 and Ω2.
[0105] Specific use case, conversion of motor parameters to motion values: Assumptions: First servo motor 6: ω1 = 15 rpm, D1 = +1 (counterclockwise) Second servo motor 7: ω2 = 10 rpm, D2 = +1 (counterclockwise) Time t = 1 s, initial angle θ1(0) = θ2(0) = 0 Calculation steps: Angular velocity: Ω1 = 15 × (+1) × (2π / 60) = 15 × π / 30 ≈ 1.57 rad / s Ω2 = 10 × (+1) × (2π / 60) = 10 × π / 30 ≈ 1.05 rad / s Angle (t=1s): θ1 = Ω1 t = 1.57 rad (approximately 90°) θ2 = Ω2 t = 1.05 rad (approximately 60°) Upper direction matrix: R_{U}^{G} = As above, substitute θ1=π / 2, θ2=π / 3 After calculation, we get the approximate matrix (for example, cos90°=0, sin90°=1, cos60°=0.5, sin60°= / 2≈0.866) Upper layer angular velocity (t=1s): ω_x = -Ω2 sinθ1 = -1.05 × sin(1.57) ≈ -1.05 × 1 = -1.05 rad / s ω_y = Ω2 cosθ1 = 1.05 × cos(1.57) ≈ 1.05 × 0 = 0 rad / s ω_z = Ω1 = 1.57 rad / s Total angular velocity vector: [-1.05, 0, 1.57]ᵀ rad / s Actual motion: At t = 1s, the upper layer rotates with an angular velocity vector of [-1.05, 0, 1.57] rad / s, which appears as a combined rotation around the Z axis and the X axis (since θ1 = 90°, the Y component is temporarily 0).
[0106] Specific use examples: Example: The T maze test assesses the spatial memory and exploratory behavior of mice.
[0107] Each group of mice was placed in the laboratory to adapt to the environment for at least one day to reduce environmental stress; then, after periodic three-dimensional rotation, the mice were placed in the central area of the T-maze apparatus (where the three arms intersect), facing one of the arms, and allowed to freely explore the maze for 5-10 minutes. The number of times each group of mice entered each arm, as well as the sequence of entering different arms, were recorded.
[0108] The novel object recognition test (NORT) assesses the non-spatial learning and memory abilities of mice: Before the experiment, each group of mice was petted daily to eliminate their unfamiliarity to avoid irritation during manipulation. Then, after the three-dimensional rotation stimulation, the experiment was conducted in the following three stages: The first stage was the adaptation period: each mouse was placed in a novel object recognition experimental apparatus (without objects) and allowed to move freely for 10 min; The second stage is the familiarization period: two identical objects (A and B, ensuring that the objects are odorless and fixed and cannot be moved) are placed in the novel object recognition experimental apparatus, approximately 10 cm from the two side walls (to allow the experimental animals to explore). The mice are placed into the apparatus with their backs facing the objects at equal distances from the objects. The exploration time of the mice on each object is recorded using a camera and software (the exploration of the object is counted as the mouth or nose touching the object and the object approaching within 2-3 cm). The number of times, time, and distance the mice explored each object are measured and recorded within 5 minutes; The third stage is the test period: 1 hour after the completion of the second stage is selected as the time interval for testing memory. One of the two identical objects is replaced with a different object (AC or BC) and placed in the device. Similarly, the mouse is placed in the device with its back facing the object at an equal distance from the object for 5 minutes, and the memory ability of the mouse is recorded. To quantify memory ability, the following calculations were performed: discrimination index = (old object exploration time - new object exploration time / [old object exploration time]) × 100%; recognition index = (new object exploration time / [new object exploration time + old object exploration time]) × 100%; Three objects were used in the experiment: A and B were exactly the same, and C was significantly different from A and B. The diameter of the objects in the mouse experiment was 3 cm.
[0109] Normal group: no abnormalities in T maze and novel object recognition tests; Three-dimensional rotation group: T maze and novel object recognition test indicators were significantly improved, as shown by the improvement of the mice's spontaneous exploration ability; spatial memory ability and non-spatial memory ability were improved, as shown by the increase of the discrimination index and recognition index compared with the normal group mice.
[0110] It has been confirmed that the spatial cognition enhancement device that stimulates the vestibular-hippocampal pathway with three-dimensional rotation can help enhance the spatial and non-spatial learning and cognitive abilities of research animals, help maintain spatial cognitive abilities, improve functional injuries, and provide important equipment support. The device has the advantages of being easy to use, small in size, low in cost, and powerful in function. It is undoubtedly an ideal choice for conducting vestibular-hippocampal function regulation and evaluation, and has good development prospects.
[0111] It should be noted that for the aforementioned method embodiments, for the sake of simplicity, they are all expressed as a series of action combinations, but those skilled in the art should be aware that this application is not limited by the order of the actions described, because according to this application, certain steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously. Secondly, those skilled in the art should also be aware that the embodiments described in the specification are all preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily required by this application.
[0112] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own focus. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.
[0113] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of the units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units can be electrical or other forms.
[0114] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of these units may be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.
[0115] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of the application may be integrated into a single processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into a single unit. The aforementioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware or software program modules.
[0116] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software program module and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable memory. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a memory and includes several instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned memory includes: U disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), mobile hard disk, magnetic disk, or optical disk, etc., various media that can store program code.
[0117] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above embodiments can be completed by instructing related hardware through a program, and the program can be stored in a computer-readable memory, which may include: a flash drive, a read-only memory, a random access memory, a magnetic disk or an optical disk, etc.
[0118] The above is a detailed introduction to the embodiments of the present application. Specific examples are used herein to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and core idea of the present application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the idea of the present application, there may be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.
Claims
1. A spatial cognition enhancement device that stimulates the vestibular-hippocampal pathway in three dimensions, characterized in that: include: A rotary stimulation unit for generating multi-axial angular acceleration stimulation; an animal adaptation unit, connected to the rotary stimulation unit, for fixing the experimental animal and blocking visual input; a control unit connected to the rotation stimulation unit, for adjusting stimulation parameters and collecting dynamic data; The signal acquisition unit includes a piezoresistive sensor and an analog-to-digital converter to collect angular velocity and angular acceleration dynamic parameters in real time.
2. The spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotation stimulation unit comprises: base; a lower rotating assembly mounted on the base; an upper rotating assembly coupled to the lower rotating assembly via a universal joint; The lower rotating assembly and the upper rotating assembly are driven by a first servo motor and a second servo motor respectively.
3. The spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway according to claim 2, characterized in that: The universal connection mechanism is a spherical rotor; A first angular velocity of the lower rotating component around the vertical axis and a second angular velocity of the upper rotating component around the horizontal axis are combined into a three-dimensional angular velocity vector.
4. The spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway according to claim 1, characterized in that: The animal adaptation unit comprises: Light-proof shell, the inner surface is made of light-absorbing material; A restraining belt is arranged in the light-proof housing, and the restraining belt is covered with a buffer layer.
5. The spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit comprises: a motion controller, an output end of which is connected to the first servo motor and the second servo motor; A multi-axis acceleration sensor is fixed to the upper rotating assembly; The signal conditioning circuit has an input end connected to the multi-axis acceleration sensor and an output end connected to a data acquisition card.
6. The spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: The acoustic intervention module is integrated into the rotating stimulation unit and is used to output soothing music.
7. A method for enhancing spatial cognition by three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway, characterized in that: The spatial cognition enhancement device based on any one of claims 1 to 6 for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway comprises: The experimental animals were placed in an animal adaptation unit and visual input was blocked; driving the rotation stimulation unit to perform multi-axial compound rotation to generate three-dimensional angular acceleration stimulation; Activate the acoustic intervention module to output soothing music, and use the signal acquisition unit to monitor the angular velocity and angular acceleration parameters during the rotation process in real time; After the rotation stimulation, the animals were subjected to behavioral tests of spatial memory and non-spatial memory; Cognitive function enhancement index was calculated based on behavioral test results.
8. The method for enhancing spatial cognition by three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway according to claim 7, characterized in that: The multi-axial compound rotation is achieved by: The lower rotating assembly rotates vertically; The upper rotating assembly rotates around the horizontal axis through a universal joint mechanism; The resultant motion generates a three-dimensional angular velocity vector.
9. The method for enhancing spatial cognition by three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway according to claim 7, characterized in that: The behavioral tests include: In the T-maze experiment, the exploration sequence of the animal entering each arm of the maze was recorded; In the novel object recognition experiment, the difference in the animals' exploration time for familiar objects and novel objects is recorded.
10. A method for constructing a spatial cognition enhancement device for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway, characterized in that: The spatial cognition enhancement device based on any one of claims 1 to 6 for three-dimensional rotational stimulation of the vestibular-hippocampal pathway comprises: Assemble the lower rotating assembly and the upper rotating assembly so that the upper rotating assembly is coupled to the central axis of the lower rotating assembly through a universal joint mechanism; Integrating an animal adaptation unit into the upper rotating assembly; Connecting the first servo motor, the second servo motor and the motion controller to implement a three-dimensional compound motion control algorithm; Integrate multi-axis acceleration sensors and acoustic intervention modules to establish a dynamic-acoustic synchronous intervention link.
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